There was much talk last year about the fall of mighty United after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure and their mountainous $700m debt. However, Sir Alex and Co. came back last year and very nearly won their 4th consecutive Premier League title. Wayne Rooney made the leap to global superstardom, tearing the league apart and rising as high as #2 on many people’s lists of Best Footballer in the World. His strike partners (Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen) were erratic at best, and as a result, United got used to playing in a 4-5-1 setup that left Rooney isolated on top. Many strikers struggle with this, but Rooney seemed to thrive, in large thanks to a large number of midfielders who consistently contributed to the Red Devils success. Sir Alex never really stays with the same midfielders on a week to week basis, but everyone who stepped in did their job admirably and nearly helped the club win a record breaking 20th title.

Rooney was on his own up top last year, but with new addition Javier Hernandez (Chicharito), of the Mexican National Team and formerly Guadalajara, Rooney may have found a striker worthy of playing alongside him at Old Trafford. The 22 year old seems to score with ease and should take some of the pressure off a midfield that while broad, could use some help at times. Edwin Van der Sar’s age seems to be getting problematic as he looked pretty mediocre in the MLS All-Star Game. Ben Foster may be missed in the long run, but for now, the Red Devils look quite well off.

Speaking of which, let me take a second to talk about the 5-2 drubbing the MLS took. It is not a big deal for MLS, but it is a huge deal for the rest of the EPL. The MLS players have not played together in many cases and on-field chemistry in soccer may be more important than in any other US sport. Not a big deal that the defense got shredded because they are not used to communicating together. However, this is very bad news for the rest of the EPL. The team United fielded was loaded with young talent that was not at all a fluke. Macheda, Gibson, Cleverly, Hernandez, and much of the back line was under 23, and have growing still to do. They could sell off all the starters from last year, and still be alright with how good this group is. People doubted United after the sale of Ronaldo and the pile of debt, but it looks like they will be just fine. Premier League Champions seems “just fine” to me.

The Blues are coming off a year in which they really led the Premier League wire to wire, and their talisman, Didier Drogba, scored 29 goals in league play despite taking a few matches off for the African Cup of Nations. The only disappointment that beset Carlo Ancelotti’s men was bowing out to eventual Champions of Europe Inter Milan in the Semifinals. Coming into this season, anything less than a championship will be a disappointment.

Chelsea swiped solid midfielder Yossi Benayoun from rivals Liverpool, but came up short in their bid for Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid. Aguero would have given them a threat on the wing, or the occasional threat up top alongside Didier Drogba or Nicolas Anelka. However, as it is, Chelsea will have smart players all over the field (except Solomon Kalou) and the talent to make the intelligence stand up. Ancelotti will not be left without options at Stamford Bridge, that is for sure. Regardless of who is on the pitch on opening day, Chelsea’s defense, attacking force and loads of Roman Abramovic’s money spells success for Chelsea, just maybe not the success they were hoping for.

3. Tottenham

Key Player: Gareth Bale

British OutrageL The Best. But seriously, Redknapp has sparked a Spurs resurgence.

For the longest time, Tottenham has been synonymous with underachieving, but there is a lot of hope at White Hart Lane that this may be a year to change all that. They are in the Champions League for the first time in forever and have a squad worthy of it. They are 4-1 in friendlies so far, and against Villarreal on July 29th, they fielded 2 completely different teams in the first and second halves and still looked alright despite the loss. They have the strikeforce to stick with anyone and the defense is also solid with underrated guys like Michael Dawson and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. I think this is can be the year that Spurs finally best their rivals the Gunners and top them on the table, regardless of how the Fabregas Saga ends. It will not be easy, but it can be done. There a lot of guys who could be considered key for Tottenham, but I went with the 21 year old Welshman, Gareth Bale. His listed position is left back, but he can run up the touchline with the best of them in support of the free-flowing Spurs attack. Other guys such as Lennon and Bentley will help along the wings as well with Modric being the creative force in the middle. Any of these guys has a chance to be a key player for Tottenham, but the young Bale gets the nod from OTC.

I also like Tottenham’s chances in the Champions League. They have the depth to keep up with the competitions and the ability to advance well past the group stage with a little bit of luck of the draw. One of the big performers for Spurs this preseason has been Robbie Keane, and I can see a big role for him in the Champions League. Defoe and Crouch will probably be the choices up top for most of the League games, but Keane would certainly be a good man to be their Cup Striker. I see good things for Spurs this season. On an unrelated note, isn’t that a great logo (right).

4. Arsenal

Key Player: Cesc Fabregas

Notice a trend? All the best clubs have tradition, and with tradition comes awesome logos.

Everyone has been talking about Arsenal this summer, but not necessarily for the right reasons. Cesc Fabregas and Barcelona have been making eyes at each other for ages, and the rumors have been flying left and right that he is on his way to the Catalan giants. It looked for a while as if he was on his way there, but he has recently committed to Arsenal for the year, which is a huge move (or lack thereof) for Arsenal. He is a truly amazing talent, and, though Arsenal have many talented midfielders, they do not have anyone quite like Fabregas. He can score, he can create (as we saw in the World Cup Final), and he can control the flow of the game like few others in the world. He is without a doubt the most important player for Arsenal.

However, he will have some new blood to work with as Marouane Chamakh joins Robin Van Persie up top. I really like Chamakh’s chances at success at Arsenal and feel it was a good signing, but if Fabregas left, the service to the strikers will get less and less reliable and it will show on Chamakh and Van Persie. Assuming he stays fairly healthy, these potential bumps in the road seem smoothed. The defense will be decent, but not fantastic as usual, but it really all hinges on if Fabregas stays. If one-time-wunderkid Andrey Arshavin steps up, it will make life a lot easier on the Gunners, but if he can do that consistently remains to be seen. Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs are also worth watching as the two youngsters keep fighting for a spot in the English national side.

5. Manchester City

Key Player: Carlos Tevez

Whomever called soccer the "beautiful Game" never saw Carlos Tevez. However, he is really good.

Perhaps the most interesting story heading into Manchester City’s seasons is what they are going to do with their 25 man roster. They have a galaxy of players who are on payroll (over 37 at some points), but will probably end up being packaged up and shipped off. With all their new additions, there are recognizable guys such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Craig Bellamy, Etuhu, Robinho, and other who may go up for a fire sale if they cannot find a full-price buyer or somewhere to loan them out. This will only get more pronounced if they continue their pursuit of Edin Dzeko to join James Milner and Mario Balotelli. They are lucky they are rich, because if they were not, they could risk some serious debt if they do not handle this situation correctly.

While the roster needs plenty of sorting out, Roberto Mancini’s men appear to be solid on the field. Whether Shay Given or Joe Hart makes the start in goal, City will have a solid defense and more than enough venom up top to do damage. It is maybe not the most chemistry-laden roster with so many guys coming in, but by the end of the season, they should be clicking well enough to make it to 5th once again.

Carlos Tevez is by no means the only key player for City, but they just seem like a different team when he is out there. Tenacity is something that sometimes falls by the wayside when you get a roster full of multi-millionaires, but he brings that to the table in full force and it shows both on the field and the results column.

P.S. Expect a slow start from this new batch of players. Team chemistry does not happen overnight.

It seems that every year, the biggest issue with David Moyes men is depth. Everton is a big club, but without the big bucks of some of the more prestigious clubs. This year looks no different, but hopefully for the Merseysiders, their lack of a spot in Europe will keep them a bit healthier than last year. Despite the injury concerns, there is no doubt about the talent level of this club. Heitinga, Jagielka, Yobo, and Baines are all excellent in the back, and their anchor in goal is American Tim Howard. The quality does not stop at the back, either, with Arteta, Pienaar, Rodwell, Phil Neville, Cahill, and Co. holding down the midfield more than capably. The striking last year was a bit streaky up top with Louis Saha often left to his own devices at the front. They went out in the transfer window and made a quality under-the-radar move in signing Jermaine Beckford, the Leeds United striker who famously sunk Manchester United in the FA Cup and pushing Tottenham Hotspur to the limits in the next round of the FA Cup. He was not at the highest levels of soccer last year, but he is more than capable of helping to carry the scoring load for Everton.

This year, Everton has what it takes to make it to 6th. Their talent is not in question, but this year I feel they can stay healthy enough to do some damage in the Premier League. I think Beckford takes enough pressure off Saha to really boost both of their performances up top, and having Arteta for more of the season gives them a boost up top. I also think there is a very good chance that they bring Landon Donovan back, which would give them the winger they need. The width he gave them when he played really showed and if they get him back for a long stretch they could challenge Manchester City for 5th.

Liverpool flirted with disaster this summer but narrowly avoided it. Their manager, Rafa Benitez, left them for Inter Milan. Their head man, Steven Gerrard, was rumored to be moving to Real Madrid, and Fernando Torres nearly left as well. Now you could be cynical and say that if not for Torres sucking in South Africa and Gerrard not showing too well, neither was taken from the squad. They also were able to replace Benitez from within England, plundering Fulham for manager Roy Hodgson (though I think Manuel Pellegrini would have been better). They kept those pieces, but also look set to keep Javier Mascherano, another important name who was reportedly on the move. With all these pieces miraculously staying and adding players like Joe Cole and Jovanovic, Liverpool appears to have reloaded nicely.

The key player for Liverpool is Steven Gerrard. The more casual fan might remember him as the guy who pounced on our early defensive blunder in the opening game of the World Cup, but most soccer fans remember him as the outstanding playmaker from Liverpool. Last year, however, was not his best. With Torres sidelined, Gerrard struggled to find consistency with his other strikers and it showed in the results. Now injury still remains a concern for Torres and Co. but Gerrard should be able to get his sea legs first to carry the load, unlike last year.

BFF. Out of necessity.

Liverpool were on the brink of collapse, but have held it together and will be rewarded for it. While it is far from the glory they are used to, I think they will finish a very solid 7th and by quite a margin over 8th. They still have talent all over the pitch and should not be taken lightly, they are just not quite the giants they once seemed. I could see them finishing as high as 4th and as low as 8th. 7th seems most likely.

Birmingham City adjusted just fine to life in the Premiership last season, finishing an impressive 9th ahead of more well-known teams like Fulham. Their MVP was Joe Hart, the young English keeper, who kept them in many a game and, with the defense, brought them higher up the table than they probably expected. However, Hart was on loan from Manchester City, which means that Birmingham had a big hole to fill in their lineup. Enter Ben Foster, the Manchester United backup from last year who got some playing time early in the campaign as Edwin Van der Sar was sidelined with an injury. The Blues went for, and got, their man. He is also only 27, which would be the prime for an outfield player, but is often a blossoming age for keepers. Just as Hart and the defense were key for Birmingham’s success last year, Foster will be key this year if the Blues are to move up the table.

However, some of the burden will be taken off the defense with the addition of Serbia striker Nikola Zigic from Valencia. The tall but talented striker struggled to shine alongside goal-monger David Villa and sought greener pastures in Birmingham. He will be the clear first option for the Blues with the ball in the air, as well as probably being their leading goal scorer this campaign. It is also worth noting that while his goal tally was not so impressive with Valencia, he went on loan to his old club, Racing Santander, at the end of last season and racked up a very impressive 13 goals in 19 games. That scoring surge will be key to Birmingham’s success as their leading scorer last year bagged 11 goals and their second leading scorers bagged 5 each. If Zigic is able to provide that boost like I think he can, Birmingham City will continue to move up the table.

9. Fulham

Key Player: Clint Dempsey

The American will be key for the Cottagers.

Key Additions: Philippe Senderos (Arsenal)
Key Departures: None
Last Year Finish: 12th Place (46 Pts) and Europa League Runners Up

Fulham had an interesting year last year. On the one hand they finished a very mediocre 12th in the Premier League, but also came one game away from theEuropa League title where they were bested by OTC Favourite (yeah, I used the English spelling) Diego Forlan and Atletico Madrid. Injuries played a big part in that, but if Fulham can stay healthy, they can make significant progress in the Premiership. US winger and game-changer Clint Dempsey joins forces with young talent like Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff and old grizzled vets like keeper Mark Schwarzer. Their defense is not great and they often compensate by “parking the bus” (a euphemism for putting everything you can in front of your own goal). It is not the most attractive brand of football, but with defensive shortcomings, sometimes it is necessary.

They added Philippe Senderos to try and shore up the defense, and while that is hardly the safest move, it at least addresses the concern. However, Fulham might completely change tactics under new manager Mark Hughes (formerly of Manchester City). Their old manager (Roy Hodgson) left them for Liverpool and perhaps the new manager will signal a change of tactics. They have looked great in preseason and look poised to move toward Europa once again.

Most of you would be interested in knowing that West Ham’s keeper is none other then the Hand of Clod himself, Robert Green. However, he is only a part of what the Hammers are looking to do this year. They went out and made three very solid signings in Barrera, Hitzelsperger and Piquionne. These signings were aimed at not flirting with relegation like last year. They really have too much talent to be that far down the table, but their survival appears to have given them new life.

A big part of that new life is Scott Parker. Not especially well-known before last season, Parker was one of the few bright spots in East London last year. Carlton Cole and Alessandro Diamanti are a very capable strike duo with Piquionne rotating in and Barrera, Parker and Hitzelsperger look to be a very solid midfield combination. Somewhat ironically, it appears as if West Ham’s resurgence will rest on the backs of American left back Jonathan Spector and English Hand of Clod Robert Green. Spector was the bane of every Hammers fans’ existence last year, and if he can step his game up this campaign, it would go a long way in shoring up the defense in front of Robert Green. Green took a lot of flak over his fumble against the US, but it is worth nothing that he was still the starting keeper on one of the best (on paper) national teams around. If he can survive the onslaught of insults hurled by fans both friendly and foe, he and the Hammers look set to rebound coming off a very poor year last year.

11. Aston Villa

Key Player: Richard Dunne

With the way he left, he is a villain to most Villains (nickname of teh club).

I was all ready to talk about how Martin O’Neill was the key player for Aston Villa even though he was the manager. The operative word there is “was” as O’Neill resigned this week. At least they have a couple good wingers in Milner and Young still, right? Wait, what? They got sold too? Damn, Villa is screwed.

So now that that is all taken away from me, I will instead have to submit the headline: Aston Pillaged. In the course of 2 years they lost 4 of the most important people to that organization in Gareth Barry, James Milner, Ashley Young and Martin O’Neill. Really, what is left? They still have Richard Dunne I guess, though an Irish defender is rarely enough of a consolation prize. Expect Gabby Agbonlahor and John Carew to see significant drops in their production and maybe even see an appearance from Emile Heskey even though he is no longer any good. The only thing I can see Villa being able to consistently do tactically is parking the bus in front of the goal and trying to counter, but I am not sure if they have the speed attacking to pull it off. Things will be interesting in Villa park this year, and I could even see them dropping further than 11th, but it is just hard to picture a team that is in the Europa League dropping below a team that barely survived relegation.

Villa just went from one of those smaller teams with the chance to break into the top 4 to one of those smaller teams that will flirt with the middle all season long.

Ladies and Gents, welcome to the Middlemen. The Middlemen are the group of 5 or 6 teams in the middle of the Premier League who are uninspiring on the best of days. They have a good player, have no consistency, and little reason to want to watch them. I think Blackburn will be the best (in a relative way) of the Middlemen. You wouldn’t want to watch them, but they score the occasional goal and defend to the death (with death usually occurring).

David Dunn is probably best among them, but there is not a lot to be excited about here. I really have nothing else to say about them, other than that they are not worth much of your time if you are a casual fan.

Newcastle were relegated two years ago and then took the Championship by storm. They were 11 points clear of 2nd place West Bromwich Albion and scored goals by the boatload (90). They have been mouthing off a bit in the English press, but they may have the chops to at least mostly back it up. They are a club with a lot of history and will surely have redemption on their mind this year.

They are referred to as the “Toon” which clearly lands itself to jokes. Fortunately, they dodged a comedic bullet when they failed to sign German striker Boggs Buenni and Englishman Daphne Ducke. Ok, there is no dodging the comedic bullets when you can be referred to as the Toon Squad, but that does not mean they will be a joke on the field. It would be fair to call them a Premier League team playing in the League Championship last year, so this year they will be eager to test their metal.

If you are stoked for the Potters season, raise your hand. No one? Really? Well, their fan base is not exactly the greatest, and I would bet that most people do not know much or care much about them. They are one of the Middlemen, and accordingly, are not worth your time as the casual fan. There is not a ton to know about them other than that they too will defend to a fault and struggle to score. Thomas Sorenson is a very good goalie (you saw him with Denmark in South Africa), but there is not a ton left to say about them.

I think the Potters is a lame nickname too. Makes me think of teh scene in 300 where the Athenian looks like a fool because the Spartans are warriors and the Athenians are potters. So suck on that, Stoke.

Middlemen make the Premier League go ’round. Just kidding. Sunderland is yet another of the middlemen, but unlike the others, they have a guy who can score the football. However, Darren Bent is pretty mercurial striker but a striker nonetheless, which is more than most Middemen can say. The Black Cats is a pretty acceptable nickname, but expecting anything other than mediocre play from a Middleman is to defy the very concept of tbe Middlemen. Sunderland is no exception.

I will give them credit for having a cool stadium name too (Stadium of Light), but I do not have much to say. At this point, it isn’t about showing that I know things as much as not making you suffer the knowledge of the useless.

I was sick of the Middlemen 2 teams ago, but here comes another. Wigan might even have a leg up on the others in the sense that they have multiple quality players, but they more than make up for that quality with questionable defense. As an example, Hugo Rodallega, Charles N’Zogbia, and Maynor Figueroa are all decent players, but they also gave up 9 goals to Tottenham last year. They are certainly more worth watching that most of the Middlemen due to their quality on the pitch and potential to get blown out, but that does not necessarily translate to results. Manager Roberto Martinez will do what he can with his men, but it probably will not go as well as his broadcasting at the World Cup did.

I went with N’Zogbia as the key guy because of how inconsistent Rodallega was last year and how much N’Zogbia’s stock rose toward the end of the year. If those two can be consistently good, they could rise to the top of the middle of the table, but who knows. Wigan never really rise as high as they should, so this year should be no different.

Alas, the bottom of the Middlemen is Bolton. They have some guys who can strike, but they rarely come to play on teh same day, and the service to them often suffers. Matty Taylor and Chung-Yong Lee are probably the most exciting of these options, but they are far from sure things with a little space at the 18. Again, they have some talented players, but their defense is suspect and their consistency is non-existent.

Lee was one of the bright sports for South Korea next to Park Jisung and played well enough last year for me to give him the nod over Matty Taylor. He will not consistently score (nor will anyone on the squad), but he provides a little spark for an otherwise sparkless side.

Here’s a fun fact about Bolton. Their name is Bolton Wanderers, but their nickname is the Trotters. Getting a little greedy Bolton? 2 nicknames? Knock it off.

West Brom Albion are back in the Premier League and perhaps better than ever. However, that better than ever will stil not be quite good enough. They do have an excellent young winger in Chris Brunt and some talent around him like Robert Koren, but they are far from solid. They went and got Boaz Myhill (formerly of Hull City) whose name correctly identifies him as a clown. (Boazo the Clown?). They were in the Premiership 2 seasons ago and were truly obliterated. It will not be quite that bad this year, but expecting anything but relegation by them is optimistic.

I do have them close to climbing out of the relegation zone, but missing. They have been here before and will surely have the will required to survive, but I just do not think they have the talent to do so. The first of our relegated clubs.

On to the next one. I actually like some of teh moves made by the Wolves this year, including the addition of Stepthen Hunt from Hull City. He will give them a little striking and creativity in midfield, which is something that this squad desperately lacked last year. However, not to blame was one Matthew Jarvis. He was alright for the first half of teh year, but really picked things up down the home stretch to help Wolverhampton survive.

Marcus Hahnemann is one of the US backup goalies, and is probably tied for key player with Jarvis, but he is called into action far too often. He makes many saves (one of the best percentages in the EPL), but he cannot do it alone and a combination of lackluster striking and middling defending will spell the end for Wolves.

Just like Bolton, Wolves also have two nicknames. They are referred to as Wolves for Wolverhampton, but are technically called Wolverhampton Wanderers. Confounding.

I do not know much about Blackpool. Here is what I do know. It is the home to Pleasure Beach Theme Park. They finished 6th in the Championship last year, 32 points back of the leaders Newcastle and 21 points back of 2nd place West Bromwich Albion. Charlie Adam was their leading scorer. Blackpool is one of two teams in the English Premier League to have “pool” in their name this year. They wear orange.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is everything I know of interest about Blackpool FC. Oh, and that they will be relegated without question.

I hope you enjoyed the preview, and we will try to stay up to date with teh EPL throughout the season!